Wire-stretcher



(No Model.)

B. G-UTHRIDGE. WIRE STRETOHER No. 404,536. Patented June 4, 1889.

MZMSGS'.

nug ln er. Waslungtnn. up,

' UNITED STATEsi A'rENT OFFICE.

ELUAH GUTHRIDGE, OF FAYETTE, MISSOURI.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,536, dated June 4,1889. Application filed February 28, 1889. Serial No. 301,485. (Nomodel.)

To all whom itmay concern:

Be it known that I, ELIJAH GUTHRIDGE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fayette, in the county of Howard and State of Missouri,haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in \Vire-Stretchers; and Ido declare the following to be afull, clear, and exactdescription of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichitappertains to make and use the same.

This invention has relation to improvements in machines for stretchingbarb-wire in the construction of fences, and the novelty will be fullyunderstood from the following description and claims, when taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective view of my improved machine, showing the same in a positionto stretch a strand of wire; and Fig. 2 is a view of the shaft andhandle which I employ on the spool or reel when taking down a fence.

Referring by letter to the said drawings, A indicates the main frame,which is provided with two properly-braced runners to a. Secured tothese runners at opposite points are vertical standards or uprights B,which are designed to receive and support the tension device, as will bepresently explained. These standards are also held in position by meansof diagonal braces 12, extending from the rear parts of the runners orbase-frame to the upper portions of the standards. The standards B areprovided on their forward side and at corresponding altitudes withbearings d to receive the journal portions of the tensionrolls 0. Inpractice I design placing these bearings d in pairs and at pointscorresponding to the points at which the Wires are secured to the postsof a fence, so that the wire may be stretched without any lateral strainor the provision of means to sustain the wire horizontally.

The tension-roll O, which is designed to be used interchangeably in thebearin gs d, is provided near opposite ends with a staple e, and

. a hook or other means for engaging the wire.

By having the staples or engaging devices e arranged one near each endof the tensionroller it is apparent that the machine maybe worked withconvenience from the right or left hand side of the fence, and this isvery desirable in some localities. t

D indicates bearings or uprights arranged in advance of the standards B,and secured, respectively, to the runners to, so as to furnish means ofsupport for the spool carrying the wire.

The front cross-barfof the main frame is provided with a whiffletree orother means for the attachment of a draftanimal. This cross-bar is alsoprovided with anchor-chains g, so that when the machine has been carriedto the desired point it may be anchored in position by the said chains.

In operation one end of the Wire from the spool is firmly secured to afence-post, after which the machine is driven along the line to thedesired point and then anchored. The tension-roller being in thelowermost bracket or bearing (1, the operator grasps the removablelevers h and, having inserted them in the apertures i of the said roll,proceeds to tighten the wire between the machine and the post to whichit has been secured. until the same has been made fast to all of theposts. The opera-tion is then repeated with the tensionroll in thebrackets, as shown in Fig. 1, and again repeated for the third wire withthe roll in the top brackets. It is obvious that more or less bracketsmaybe employed,- according to the number of wires to be employed, apin-'such as 7c-being inserted above the brackets to hold the journalsof the tensionroll seated.

One of theheads of the spoolE is provided with a plurality of aperturesm, and when it is desirable to take down a fence I employ a shaft, suchas f. (Better shown in Fig.2 of the drawings.) This shaft is providedwith a cross head or bar G, carrying studs or pins H, adapted to enterthe apertures min the spoolhead, so that when the shaft has beeninserted in the eye of the spool and the studs H enter the apertures theshaft will be fixed thereto.

This shaft is designed to extend sufficiently at opposite ends of thespool-head to be received in the brackets or bearings d of the standardsB. Thus in taking down a fence the shaft F is placed in the desiredbrackets of the standards with the tension-roll omitted,

when by turning the crank-handle the wire may be reeled upon the spool.

This machine is very light and durable and may be manufactured at acomparatively small expense.

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The main framecomposed of the runners a and cross-braces, in combination with thebearings D,secured to the runners, the standards 13, also secured to therunners, the brackets d, secured to the forward sides of the standards,as shown, the spool journaled in the bearings D, the diagonal barsbracing the standards for the runners, and the tensionroll havinglever-apertures to receive the removable levers, and also having staplesor books for engaging the wire, one of said hooks being arranged neareach end of a tension-roll, and the said roll being adapted to be placedin the brackets at different altitudes, substantially as specified.

2. In a fence-machine, substantially as specified, the combination, withthe main frame, of the standards having bearings, and the tension-rollhaving a staple near opposite ends to engage the wires, whereby themachine may be worked from the right or left hand side of a fence,substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELIJAH GUTIIRIDGE.

Witnesses:

A. J. FARR, O'rHo ASHCRAFT.

